Coupler support



Oct. 20, 1942. H. K. HARWICK 7 2,299,541

COUPLER SUPPORT Filed July 31, 1940 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2 0, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUPLER SUPPORT Henry K. Harwick, Darb y, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 31, 1940, Serial No. 348,764

5 Claims.

ing bar therefor were transmitted even through the metallic springs to the metal car underframe.

It is a prime object of the invention to eliminate the objectionable noises arising from the coupler supports as heretofore known, and it is among the further objects to provide a very efficient resilient support for the coupler and one which has the advantages of simplicity of construction, light weight and ease of fabrication and installation.

To this end, a transverse coupler-carrying bar is suspended from the underframe by rubber cushioning units, one interposed between each of two spaced vertical faces, respectively, on the underframe and on the coupler bar so that the bar is normally suspended from the underframe entirely free of metal to metal contact. These rubber cushioning units are preferably inserted under compression so that the bar is held against appreciable transverse movement, but considerable amplitude of vertical movement is provided for by the thickness of the cushions and the fact that the rubber acts in shear in such movement.

Other objects and advantages and the manner in which they are obtained will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary transverse horizontal sectional view through the central portion of the end of the rail car underframe in which the invention has been embodied, the section being taken substantially on the line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view,

the section being taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing, the invention is shown applied to a sheet metal underframe of the type disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 296,026, filed September 22, 1939, entitled Rail car underframe. However, the application to this particular type of underframe is merely by way of illustration,

' 2| connecting the invention in its broad features being applicable to other types of underframes.

The underframe selected for illustration is shown as comprising an end sill l0 of inwardly facing channel section with which the longitudinal columnar structures, designated generally by reference numerals H and I2, telescope at their forward ends and to which they are secured. Members II and I2 are arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the center line of the car, the members l2 being spaced farthest from the center line and in longitudinal alignment with vertical door posts [3 of hollow cross section which are secured to the outer face of the sill Ill and have extensions I4 projecting below the sill. Similarly, the members I 2 are deepened adjacent their forward ends by a triangular brace I5, the forward end of which is spaced from the extension 14 of the adjacent post. Coupler-carrying brackets or hangers 16, which are preferably castings, are disposed one between each downward extension I4 of the posts and the forward end of the adjacent brace l5, these brackets being rigidly secured to the post extension and the brace l 5 associated therewith by lines of rivets IT. The upper ends of the brackets 16 abut the bottom of the end sill.

In their upper portions, brackets 16 are each provided with a web or wall [8 extending the full width of the bracket in a longitudinal direction but terminating short of the bottom of the bracket so as to provide a large lateral opening or slot 19 between the bottom of the web Hi, the front and rear walls 20, and the tubular bottom wall the front and rear walls of the bracket.

The web [8 of each bracket provides a flat vertical face 22 of substantial area, the bottom of which face is terminated by an inwardly extending shoulder 23. The load of the coupler and its carrying bar is suspended from the shoulders 23 of the spaced brackets l6'in the manner now to be described.

The coupler stem 24 rests upon the flat upper face of the coupler-supporting bar between the brackets IE, but having its ends spaced slightly inwardly of these brackets. Adjacent its ends, the bar 25, which is preferably a tubular casting, is formed with upwardly extending projections 26. As shown in Fig; 1, these jections are generally of I cross-section, the web 27 of the I forming an extensive flat vertical face opposed to and spaced from the adjacent vertical face 22 formed by the web l8 of the bracket I 6.

Between the opposed vertical faces formed by 25 extending pro-,

webs 21 and I8 are inserted, for each end of the bar 25, rubber cushioning units designated generally by the reference character 28.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each of these cushioning units is preferably a composite structure built up of a plurality of rubber sandwiches, each consisting of a slab of rubber 29 interposed between metal plates 38 to which the rubber is firmly bonded as by vulcanizing. The margins of the plates are extended beyond the rubber slab so that the adjacent sandwiches can be readily secured together through the margins of their overlapping plates as by spot welding. The outer and inner plates 3! and 32 of each rubber unit subassembly 28 are preferably of heavier gauge than the intermediate plates sincev the load is directly carried from one of these, the inner plate 32, through the rubber to the other or outer plate 3 i.

In the case of the outer plate 3!, the load is I carried through it to the shoulder 23 on the web of the bracket Hi. In the case of the inner plate 32, the load is transmitted to it through a removable abutment 33 in the form of a hook which engages over the top of the web M and the ad- Any suitable means (not shown) may be provided for locking the bolt 35 against rotation.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the coupler and its supporting bar are carried in their vertical movements, wholly by the rubber units 28 with the rubber in shear and they are normally supported free of metal to metal contact with the rest of the car body. Lateral movements of the bar, such as are occasioned by the frictional engagement between the laterally swingable coupler and the supporting bar, are cushioned by the rubber in compression.

However, such lateral movements are relatively inconsequential since there is interposed between the bar 25 and the coupler stem 24 a channel section wear-plate 38 having a low coefficient of friction with the coupler stem. This plate may be secured to the bar by bolts 39.

In order to cause the rubber to work most efii ciently, it is preferably placed under initial compression between the vertical faces on webs 2'! and l3.

A safety feature is provided to carry the vertical load on the bar 25, in conjunction with the rubber or independently thereof, in the event that such load becomes excessive. This safety feature comprises the provision at each end of the bar 25, which is preferably hollow as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, of an extension piece 49 telescoping within the hollow end of the bar and having its free end portion extended through the opening or slot IS] in the adjacent bracket I5 which serves in this connection as a safety hanger. The extension piece M] is supported in the hollow end of the bar 25 for limited tilting movement to facilitate its assembly with the bar, and it is provided with a hole 4i having flared ends through which the securing bolt 35 extends, the flaring ends of the hole permitting the limited tilting movements of the extension 49 without placing any strain upon the bolt. It will thus be seen that the same securing bolt-35 holds the remove able abutment 33 and the safety extension 40 in place, and this facilitates the assembly of the entire support which may be carried out as follows:

The rubber subassembly units are first seated on the shoulders 23 and compressed by suitable means, such as C-clamps, engaging the plate 32 on the one hand and the web IS on the other. With the rubber units so compressed, the bar 25 can be raised to bring the top of the web 21 even with the top of the inner plate 32 of the rubber cushioning units. A slot 42 extends from the top down a substantial distance in the web 2! permittingthe passage of the C-clamp or other compressing device. The C-clamp or other compressing device can then be released to allow the rubber to expand, pressing the plates 32, with the rubber stillunder some compression, into engagement with the web 21. Each removable abutment or hook 33 having a wide top portion bridging the slot 42 is then put in place and the extension 40 is insertedin the adjacent end of the hollow bar 25 and the bolt 35 inserted to lock these parts in place. The weight of the coupler may then be permitted to rest upon the bar, it having been held in raised position during the assembly of the bar with the bracket I6. Normally, the rubber is biased to raise the inner plate 32 above the outer plate, but when the load of the coupler is taken by the rubber units 28, they assume the position indicated in Fig. 2.

Where the coupler is used in tight coupled relation with a coupler of an adjacent car, as is desirable to eliminate slack and reduce noise, the load on the coupler bar 25 at times will materially exceed the load of the coupler per se, but the rubber units are so proportioned as to take this additional load. By reason of the fact that they are originally biased to lift the bar 25 when not carrying the load of the coupler so as to narrow the space between the bar 25 and the bottom of the end sill to a width not much greater than theheight of the coupler stem, it will be seen that bar 25 will at all times be urged by the rubber units to maintain its contact with the coupler stem 24 so that slack between these parts is avoided. This further minimizes the noise transmission between coupler and car frame.

The portions of the end extensions i -2 which project into the openings I9 are at all times free from the side walls of said openings so that there is no metal to metal contact obtained here, except in cases where excessive load would force the ex-- tension in contact with the bottom member 21 of the bracket or safety hanger. Such excessive loads do not normally occur.

The foregoing detailed description of the construction of the device is believed to make clear its operation, and no further description of the.

operation is deemed necessary.

While the specific embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that changes and modifications could be made such as fall within the skill of the mechanic working in the art, and such changes and modifications are intended to be covered by the terminology of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A coupler support for railway cars comprising an underframe, laterally spaced brackets depending from the underframe, each having a substantially vertical face'and a lateral opening ex tending therethrough below said face, a couplercarrying bar aligned with said openings and having upwardly extending projections, one adjacent each end and each provided with a substantially vertical face transversely spaced from and in opposing relation to the vertical face of the adjacent bracket, a fixed shoulder extending inwardly from the bottom of each bracket face, a removable shoulder extending outwardly from the top of each of said bar faces, a removable extension for each end of the bar, each extension extending into the opening of the adjacent bracket, a com- 'mon securing means for the removable extension and removable shoulder at each end of the bar, and rubber cushioning units supporting the coupler-carrying bar with the rubber in shear, one unit inserted under compression between each pair of said opposed faces and having outer plates bonded thereto and engaging said shoulders to secure it in place.

2. A coupler support for railway cars comprising an underframe, laterally spaced brackets depending from the underframe, each having a substantially vertical face facing inwardly and an inwardly projecting shoulder at the lower margin of said face, a coupler-carrying bar having substantially vertical faces adjacent its ends, one transversely spaced from and in opposed relation to each of said bracket faces, a removable shoulder projecting toward the adjacent bracket at the top margin of each of said vertical faces on the bar, a rubber cushioning unit inserted under compression between each pair of said opposed faces, said units supporting the couplercarrying bar with the rubber in shear and each including a rubber slab or slabs with metal plates bonded to the opposed faces of the slabs, the outer plate of each unit abutting the inwardly projecting shoulder of the adjacent bracket and the inner plate abutting the removable shoulder on the adjacent bar end, and means for securing said removable shoulder in fixed position after the assembly of the rubber unit.

3. A coupler support for railway cars comprising an underframe, laterally spaced brackets depending from said underframe, each having a substantially vertical face facing inwardly and an inwardly projecting shoulder at the bottom of said face, a coupler-carrying bar having substantially vertical faces adjacent its ends, one transversely spaced from and in opposed relation to each of said bracket faces, a removable shoulder extending outwardly from the top of each of said bar faces, rubber cushioning units supporting the coupler-carrying bar with the rubber in shear,

tensions, one telescoped into each end and projecting into the opening in the adjacent bracket, and a common securing bolt at each end of said bar for securing the adjacent removable extension and the adjacent removable shoulder.

4 A coupler support for railway cars comprising an underframe, laterally spaced brackets depending from said underframe, each having a substantially vertical face facing inwardly, a coupler-carrying bar having upward projections adjacent its ends, each projection having a substantially vertical face transversely spaced from and in opposed relation to the adjacent bracket face, and rubber cushioning units supporting the coupler-carrying bar with the rubber in shear, one unit inserted under compression between each pair of said opposed faces, each unit comprising a rubber slab or slabs and metal plates flanking the slabs and bonded thereto, the outer plate abutting through its lower edge a shoulder projecting inwardly from the bottom of the adjacent bracket face and the inner plate abutting,

through its upper edge, a removable abutment projecting outwardly from the opposed face of the adjacent upward projection of the bar, each of the upward projections being provided with vertical slots open at the top to receive rubber compression means in the assembly of the couplercarrying bar, and the removable abutments, in the final assembly after the compression means has been removed, bridging said slots.

5. A coupler support construction for railway cars comprising a car underframe including laterally spaced walls projected downwardly below the main body of the underframe and extending longitudinally thereof, a coupler-carrying bar having a main body extending transversely between said spaced walls, and a top one unit inserted under compression betweenspaced below the main body of the underframe a distance sufiicient to accommodate the coupler above it and resting upon it, and further having extremities terminating transversely of the bar in vertically extending end faces spaced from and substantially parallel to the respective laterally spaced walls connected with the underframe, said terminal extremities of the bar having the vertically extending end faces being projected upwardly, respectively, into the spaces between a coupler carried by the bar and said downwardly projected walls of the underframe, together with cushioning units of rubber held in compression transversely of the underframe between the respective end faces of said bar and the adjacent walls of the underframe, whereby the stresses of compression of the rubber are taken by the carrier bar itself longitudinally of its main body and the vertical loads on the bar are carried by the rubber in shear.

HENRY K. HARWICK. 

